A 21st-century learning environment must include technology in everyday learning. School districts and teachers need to integrate instructional software programs into the classroom that are designed to engage and motivate. With so many instructional software programs available, teachers have the great task at hand of deciding what features embedded in the programs make them more efficient than others. Educators must consider whether certain software programs provide more motivation than others. What is motivation and how do today’s teachers motivate their students through the use of technology? According to the Oxford English Dictionary (n.d.), motivation is defined as "a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way." And Ormond (2003) states that motivation is something that energizes, directs, and sustains behavior; it gets people moving, points them in a particular direction, and keeps them going. The relationship between motivation and feedback are also indicators of student engagement when using an instructional software program.
Theme 1: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Motivation influences achievement (e.g., Ahmed, Minnaert, Van der Werf, & Kuyper, 2010; Cleary & Chen, 2009; Reynolds, 1991; Shores & Shannon, 2007; Steinmayr & Spinath, 2009; Woolley, Strutchens, Gilbert, & Martin, 2010) and is necessary for learning to take place (Ciampa 2014). From the most basic level of survival to the quest for mastering abstract concepts, motivation plays a key role in determining the amount and the speed at which we learn. According to Hall and Goetz (2013) motivation occurs when an individual finds an activity satisfying, rewarding, or when the experience itself is positive for them. Although there are many types of motivation, this page will only cover two subcategories of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation is the internal motivation to do something for its own sake, for the sheer enjoyment of a task. Intrinsically motivated individuals will often participate in activities for the sake of learning instead of to obtain some other goal (Herges, Duffied, Martin, & Wageman, 2017) For example, a student who likes magnets would be intrinsically motivated to learn about electricity and magnetism for the simple reason they find them interesting. By using intrinsic motivation, software and game designers will often garner personal interest of a target interest to increase motivation and maintain interest throughout a game, tutorial, or drill. Providing fantasy, feedback, and sensory stimuli that are woven into gameplay can create an immersive environment that keeps students interested and intrinsically motivated (Felicia 2011). Both Mitchell (2015) and Felicia (2011) argue that intrinsic motivation allows for an increase in student learning and utilizing technology and effective game design are ways to accomplish that.
Extrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic motivation is characterized by the learner placing value on the consequences of success, whether positive or negative (Hall & Goetz 2013). For example, a student who is afraid of being punished for bad grades or wants to be rewarded for good grades would be extrinsically motivated. While a very important part of an educational game, a solely extrinsic approach to designing a program can lead to less growth and motivation than an intrinsically focused counterpart (Felicia 2011). Extrinsic rewards in gaming and programs have been found to undermine the desire to make learning intrinsic at some points, however, they still provide a level of motivation for tasks and learning students might otherwise not be interested in (Hanus and Fox 2015). Scoring well on public leaderboards and earning badges are effective extrinsic motivators, but if the reward rather than the learning outcome is the goal then the purpose of the game must be questioned. Even with the debatable nature of extrinsic rewards, Hall & Goetz (2013), Felicia (2011), and Mitches (2015) all agree that they are a necessary component to increase student learning through software and games. It has been found that effective instructional software incorporates both extrinsic and intrinsic motivational components to create an environment where students want to participate and are rewarded for doing so.
Theme 2: Virtual Rewards
In today’s 21st century classroom, technology has become an important piece of students' day to day learning. Students use iPads, laptops, computers and other technology as part of their regular instructional day. The availability of educational software programs for classroom teacher’s is plentiful and within this plethora of software designers face a twofold challenge of creating software that is both educational and engaging for students. In order to meet this challenge, software designers have developed software using the principles of gamification to motivate students. Gamification is described by Deterding, Dixon, Khaled, and Nacke (2011) as the use of game design in non-game contents (p.1). Yildirim (2017) stated that gamification is the use of game design in non-game contents. In addition, Zicherman and Cunningham (2011) further define gamification as the process of game-thinking and game mechanics to motivate users and solve problems. In order to motivate students, software designers commonly use the gamified component of digital badging and/or leaderboards. In this type of software, students earn a digital rewards for completing a level or successfully completing a test or a set of questions. Badging and a leaderboards are a few such motivational tools. Hanus & Fox (2015) conducted a study on the effectiveness of a gamified system that gave students a way to earn badges by assigning tasks for them to complete. There was also a leaderboard to track progress and the effects on student engagement and motivation. They created two courses for their study: the gamified course and the non-gamified course. Results of the study found that students in the gamified course showed less motivation, satisfaction, and empowerment over time than those in the non-gamified class. The gamified course resulted in students with lower exam scores and lower motivation. Badging and leadership boards were used as a motivator for participants. Badging and leadership became more of an interest over learning. Hanus and Fox (2015) found using rewards, badges, and other motivators decreased intrinsic motivation.
Another study by Filsecker and Hickey (2014) conducted a quasi experimental study with elementary school students focused on external rewards and the effect on students’ motivation to learn science. One hundred six participants used Quest Atlantis, a game based learning software program. One classroom had a virtual avatar that was rewarded with badges and they other classroom had a paper version avator that was placed on a leaderboard so all students could view the results. Students were tracked for two weeks for this study. Badges were awarded to a task that researchers felt students would not find highly interesting. The study found that badging had a positive effect on learning and did not undermine student motivation. Students also had a greater understanding of the science concepts that were introduced in the instructional software. With virtual rewards and its effect on motivation, there is also a need to look at the feedback and how it impacts student motivation.
Another gamification asset is a quiz tool known as Kahoot!, which can be customized to meet the needs of any classroom. Players are asked a series of multiple choice questions, responding with personal equipment such as smartphones and tablets, which are used as a clicker device for the purpose of the game (Plump & LaRosa, 2017). Teachers can create their own quizzes or use those made by other account owners, adding in media as necessary to create games on various subjects. Players score points by answering correctly, getting a streak, or through the speed in which they answer. It motivates students to play by keeping score against their peers. A study was conducted specifically to see how engaging Kahoot! is for students. The vast majority of students were excited to play Kahoot!, stating it was a great reason for them to come to class, and how they enjoyed the competition (Plump & LaRosa, 2017). Not every student was excited by its use. Some were disappointed, and went as far as to say they were not motivated to play, the moment they got questions wrong. This was because they lost the opportunity to win, and became disinterested when the same students won Kahoot! games repeatedly (Plump & LaRosa, 2017). The study overall showed that students were excited with this tool implemented as a form of gamification, increasing their motivation to interact with content in class. It is important to realize that no one method is going to be 100% effective in motivating students, but it can greatly enhance a large majority of those participating.
Theme 3: The Impact of Feedback on Motivation
Instructional software has become much more common in classrooms and more popular in recent years. An essential concept that emerges when presenting students with instructional software is motivation. Motivation may arise from feedback given to students when using instructional software. The impact of feedback on students’ motivation during the use of software may vary from student to student. Feedback presented to students when using instructional software has the capacity to increase motivation for learning purposes. According to Vos, Van Der Meijden and Denessen (2011) instructional software and games have the potential to enhance student motivation for learning because it stimulates curiosity and interest by presenting learning activities within meaningful contexts in which students are in control. Motivation may be perceived as an individual’s ability to persist in a task. Moos and Marroquin (2010) define motivation as a set of physiological processes that may influence the direction, vigor and persistence of behaviors. Students that have motivation while engaging in online programs may demonstrate more persistent behaviors to persevere in the tasks that are presented to them depending on the feedback that they receive. Feedback or instructions provided to students may play a critical role in their level of motivation as they engage in online programs. Erhel and Jamet (2013) state that depending on their nature, instructions or feedback may play a key role during the cognitive processing of educational content. Specific, clear and concise feedback may increase a student’s level of motivation. According to a study conducted by Erhel and Jamet (2013), results indicated that if students are given clear regular feedback about their performance, it results in deeper learning and may increase their level of motivation. Furthermore, students might be more engaged in their learning experience if they receive prompts. Prompts may include praise, clues on how to proceed or specific motivational phrases, which may confirm to students that they are doing an adequate job. Prompts may serve as feedback to motivate learners to actively process the educational content that they are presented with, which in turn may create a deeper level of learning. Erhel and Jamet (2013) state that feedback and features that prompt students to process the educational content may promote learning and motivation. According to Kebritchi, Hirumi and Bai (2010) effective instructional software provides feedback for the purpose of creating personal motivation and sound decision making. The research stated above suggests that providing students with clear and consistent feedback may increase students’ level of motivation while engaging in instructional software, which in turn may increase their persistent in the tasks presented.
Theme 4: Motivation and Student Achievement
Tuzun, Yilaz-Solu, Karakus, Inal, and Kizilkaya (2009) conducted research in a geography classroom in Turkey where it was determined by the teacher that students lacked motivation and student achievement in the content. Tuzun et al. (2009) decided to use an instructional software game called Quest Atlantis (QA) to conduct research to investigate whether instructional software has an effect on motivation and student achievement. Quest Atlantis is a 3D virtual environment where students were given the task of figuring out what city the virtual character was from by taking a look at the clues given to them such as geographic location, facts, artifacts, and images (Tuzun et al., 2009, p. 70). Tuzun et al. (2009) used 24 students for his research, but due to attendance, only 13 attended consistently and were used for data collection. Students were given a pre-achievement test before playing the Quest Atlantis and then were given a post-achievement test after they finished the game. The data collected showed that students post-achievement score was higher than the pre-achievement test by 4.09 points (Tuzun et al., 2009, p. 73). Student achievement was evident in the study because motivation had a positive effect. Normally, the teacher used a lecture based approach to teach students Geography and it has not motivated students in the content area. By using an instructional software, it allowed students to see content through a different perspective which they found fun and motivated them to learn the content being studied. Overall, instructional software such as a virtual game can be used as a tool to motivate students to learn the content, which can positively impact student achievement.
Berns, Gonzalez-Pardo and Camacho (2013) also conducted research where an instructional software program such as 3D virtual environment was used to determine whether it had an impact on motivation and student achievement. For this research, 85 students who were enrolled in a college foreign language class were used. Berns et al. (2009) used an instructional software called VirtUAM, to create a 3D virtual environment where students practiced the German language in a supermarket store. The different scenarios taught students German through vocabulary words, listening, writing, and reading exercises. To collect data, Berns et al. (2009) used qualitative and quantitative research. Before the study was conducted, students were given a pre-achievement test that was paper and pencil based. After they finished playing in the virtual game, students were given a post-achievement test which was also paper and pencil based. The results from the pre-achievement test showed that 93% of the students passed, while 100% passed the post-achievement test (Berns et al., 2013, p. 217). Feedback from the students expressed that the material was enjoyable and easier to understand through this new instructional method, as well as, it motivated them to become active in their learning to win the game (Berns et al., 2013, p. 219). Overall, there is a correlation between student motivation and achievement when using instructional software as a support tool in the classroom.
Resources/Links
Classroom teachers are always looking for innovative ideas to motivate and keep their students engaged and focused. With the effects badging has on students there are now resources available online that allow teachers to create their own badging system in the classroom. We have also provided some sites with more information on instructional software resources for educators.
Ahmed, W., Minnaert, A., Van der Werf, G., & Kuyper, H. (2010). Perceived social support and early adolescents' achievement: The mediational roles of motivational beliefs and emotions. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39(1), 36–46. doi:10.1007/s10964-008-9367-7
Berns, A., Gonzalez-Pardo, A., & Camacho, D. (2013). Game-Like Language Learning in 3-D Virtual Environments. Computers & Education,60(1), 210-220.
Cleary, T. J., & Chen, P. P. (2009). Self-regulation, motivation, and math achievement in middle school: Variations across grade level and math context. Journal of School Psychology, 47(5), 291–314. doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2009.04.002
Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining "gamification". Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference, 9-15.
Erhel, S., & Jamet, E. (2013). Digital game-based learning: Impact of instructions and feedback on motivation and learning effectiveness. Computers & Education, 67, 156-167.
Felicia, P. (Ed.). (2011). Handbook of research on improving learning and motivation through educational games : multidisciplinary approaches. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com.
Filsecker, & Hickey. (2014). A multilevel analysis of the effects of external rewards on elementary students' motivation, engagement and learning in an educational game. Computers & Education,75, 136-148.
Hanus, & Fox. (2015). Assessing the effects of gamification in the classroom: A longitudinal study on intrinsic motivation, social comparison, satisfaction, effort, and academic performance. Computers & Education,80, 152-161.
Kebritchi, M., Hirumi, A., & Bai, H. (2010). The effects of modern mathematics computer games on mathematics achievement and class motivation. Computers & Education, 55, 427-443.
Ormrod, J. E. (2003). Educational psychology: Developing learners. Upper Saddle River, N.J:Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Orvis, Horn, & Belanich. (2008). The roles of task difficulty and prior videogame experience on performance and motivation in instructional videogames. Computers in Human Behavior, 24(5), 2415-2433.
Preist, C., & Jones, R. (2015). The Use of Games as Extrinsic Motivation in Education. Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 3735-3738.
Mitchell, C. (2015). Learning from rising sixth grade readers: How nooks shaped students’ reading behaviors during a summer independent reading initiative. Literacy Research and Instruction, 1-24.
Moos, D. C., & Marroquin, E. (2010). Multimedia, hypermedia, and hypertext: motivation considered and reconsidered. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(3), 265–276.
Plump, C. M., & LaRosa, J. (2017). Using Kahoot! In the Classroom to Create Engagement and Active Learning: A Game-Based Technology Solution for eLearning Novices. Management Teaching Review, 2(2), 151-158.
Reynolds, A. J. (1991). The middle schooling process: Influences on science and mathematics achievement from the longitudinal study of American youth. Adolescence. 26(101), 133–158.
Shores, M. L., & Shannon, D. M. (2007). The effects of self-regulation, motivation, anxiety, and attributions on mathematics achievement for fifth and sixth-grade students. School Science and Mathematics, 107(6), 225–236. Retrieved from http://ssmj.tamu.edu
Steinmayr, R., & Spinath, B. (2009). The importance of motivation as a predictor of school achievement. Learning and Individual Differences, 19(1), 80–90. doi:10.1016/j. lindif.2008.05.004
Tuzun, H., Yilmaz-Soylu, M., Karakus, T., Inal, Y., & Kizilkaya, G. (2009). The Effects of Computer Games on Primary School Students' Achievement and Motivation in Geography Learning. Computers & Education, 52(1), 68-77.
Vos, N., Van Der Meijden, H., & Denessen, E. (2011). Effects of constructing versus playing an educational game on student motivation and deep learning use. Computers & Education, 56, 127-137.
Woolley, M. E., Strutchens, M. E., Gilbert, M. C., & Martin, W. (2010). Mathematics success of black middle school students: Direct and indirect effects of teacher expectations and reform practices. Negro Educational Review, 61(1–4), 41–59. Retrieved from http://oma. osu. edu/vice_provost/ner/index. html
Yildirim, l. (2017). The effects of gamification-based teaching practices on student achievement and students' attitudes toward lessons. The Internet and Higher Education, Volume 33, April 2017, Pages 86-92
Zichermann, G., & Cunningham, C. (2011). Gamification by design: Implementing game mechanics in web and mobile apps. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
------ Introduction, Theme 2: Tricia P, Theme 1: Kevin C, Theme 3: Karla T.
Instructional Software and it's Effect on MotivationInstructional Software and it's Effect on Motivationtoc
Introduction
Theme 1: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic Motivation
Theme 3: The Impact of Feedback on Motivation
Theme 4: Motivation and Student Achievement
Resources/Links
References
Tricia, Kevin, & Karla.Table of Contents
Introduction
A 21st-century learning environment must include technology in everyday learning. School districts and teachers need to integrate instructional software programs into the classroom that are designed to engage and motivate. With so many instructional software programs available, teachers have the great task at hand of deciding what features embedded in the programs make them more efficient than others. Educators must consider whether certain software programs provide more motivation than others. What is motivation and how do today’s teachers motivate their students through the use of technology? According to the Oxford English Dictionary (n.d.), motivation is defined as "a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way." And Ormond (2003) states that motivation is something that energizes, directs, and sustains behavior; it gets people moving, points them in a particular direction, and keeps them going. The relationship between motivation and feedback are also indicators of student engagement when using an instructional software program.Theme 1: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Motivation influences achievement (e.g., Ahmed, Minnaert, Van der Werf, & Kuyper, 2010; Cleary & Chen, 2009; Reynolds, 1991; Shores & Shannon, 2007; Steinmayr & Spinath, 2009; Woolley, Strutchens, Gilbert, & Martin, 2010) and is necessary for learning to take place (Ciampa 2014). From the most basic level of survival to the quest for mastering abstract concepts, motivation plays a key role in determining the amount and the speed at which we learn. According to Hall and Goetz (2013) motivation occurs when an individual finds an activity satisfying, rewarding, or when the experience itself is positive for them. Although there are many types of motivation, this page will only cover two subcategories of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic motivation is the internal motivation to do something for its own sake, for the sheer enjoyment of a task.Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsically motivated individuals will often participate in activities for the sake of learning instead of to obtain some other goal (Herges, Duffied, Martin, & Wageman, 2017) For example, a student who likes magnets would be intrinsically motivated to learn about electricity and magnetism for the simple reason they find them interesting. By using intrinsic motivation, software and game designers will often garner personal interest of a target interest to increase motivation and maintain interest throughout a game, tutorial, or drill. Providing fantasy, feedback, and sensory stimuli that are woven into gameplay can create an immersive environment that keeps students interested and intrinsically motivated (Felicia 2011). Both Mitchell (2015) and Felicia (2011) argue that intrinsic motivation allows for an increase in student learning and utilizing technology and effective game design are ways to accomplish that.
Extrinsic motivation is characterized by the learner placing value on the consequences of success, whether positive or negative (Hall & Goetz 2013). For example, a student who is afraid of being punished for bad grades or wants to be rewarded for good grades would be extrinsically motivated. While a very important part of an educational game, a solely extrinsic approach to designing a program can lead to less growth and motivation than an intrinsically focused counterpart (Felicia 2011). Extrinsic rewards in gaming and programs have been found to undermine the desire to make learning intrinsic at some points, however, they still provide a level of motivation for tasks and learning students might otherwise not be interested in (Hanus and Fox 2015). Scoring well on public leaderboards and earning badges are effective extrinsic motivators, but if the reward rather than the learning outcome is the goal then the purpose of the game must be questioned. Even with the debatable nature of extrinsic rewards, Hall & Goetz (2013), Felicia (2011), and Mitches (2015) all agree that they are a necessary component to increase student learning through software and games. It has been found that effective instructional software incorporates both extrinsic and intrinsic motivational components to create an environment where students want to participate and are rewarded for doing so.Extrinsic Motivation
Theme 2: Virtual Rewards
In today’s 21st century classroom, technology has become an important piece of students' day to day learning. Students use iPads, laptops, computers and other technology as part of their regular instructional day. The availability of educational software programs for classroom teacher’s is plentiful and within this plethora of software designers face a twofold challenge of creating software that is both educational and engaging for students. In order to meet this challenge, software designers have developed software using the principles of gamification to motivate students. Gamification is described by Deterding, Dixon, Khaled, and Nacke (2011) as the use of game design in non-game contents (p.1). Yildirim (2017) stated that gamification is the use of game design in non-game contents. In addition, Zicherman and Cunningham (2011) further define gamification as the process of game-thinking and game mechanics to motivate users and solve problems. In order to motivate students, software designers commonly use the gamified component of digital badging and/or leaderboards. In this type of software, students earn a digital rewards for completing a level or successfully completing a test or a set of questions. Badging and a leaderboards are a few such motivational tools. Hanus & Fox (2015) conducted a study on the effectiveness of a gamified system that gave students a way to earn badges by assigning tasks for them to complete. There was also a leaderboard to track progress and the effects on student engagement and motivation. They created two courses for their study: the gamified course and the non-gamified course. Results of the study found that students in the gamified course showed less motivation, satisfaction, and empowerment over time than those in the non-gamified class. The gamified course resulted in students with lower exam scores and lower motivation. Badging and leadership boards were used as a motivator for participants. Badging and leadership became more of an interest over learning. Hanus and Fox (2015) found using rewards, badges, and other motivators decreased intrinsic motivation.
Another study by Filsecker and Hickey (2014) conducted a quasi experimental study with elementary school students focused on external rewards and the effect on students’ motivation to learn science. One hundred six participants used Quest Atlantis, a game based learning software program. One classroom had a virtual avatar that was rewarded with badges and they other classroom had a paper version avator that was placed on a leaderboard so all students could view the results. Students were tracked for two weeks for this study. Badges were awarded to a task that researchers felt students would not find highly interesting. The study found that badging had a positive effect on learning and did not undermine student motivation. Students also had a greater understanding of the science concepts that were introduced in the instructional software. With virtual rewards and its effect on motivation, there is also a need to look at the feedback and how it impacts student motivation.
Another gamification asset is a quiz tool known as Kahoot!, which can be customized to meet the needs of any classroom. Players are asked a series of multiple choice questions, responding with personal equipment such as smartphones and tablets, which are used as a clicker device for the purpose of the game (Plump & LaRosa, 2017). Teachers can create their own quizzes or use those made by other account owners, adding in media as necessary to create games on various subjects. Players score points by answering correctly, getting a streak, or through the speed in which they answer. It motivates students to play by keeping score against their peers. A study was conducted specifically to see how engaging Kahoot! is for students. The vast majority of students were excited to play Kahoot!, stating it was a great reason for them to come to class, and how they enjoyed the competition (Plump & LaRosa, 2017). Not every student was excited by its use. Some were disappointed, and went as far as to say they were not motivated to play, the moment they got questions wrong. This was because they lost the opportunity to win, and became disinterested when the same students won Kahoot! games repeatedly (Plump & LaRosa, 2017). The study overall showed that students were excited with this tool implemented as a form of gamification, increasing their motivation to interact with content in class. It is important to realize that no one method is going to be 100% effective in motivating students, but it can greatly enhance a large majority of those participating.
Theme 3: The Impact of Feedback on Motivation
Instructional software has become much more common in classrooms and more popular in recent years. An essential concept that emerges when presenting students with instructional software is motivation. Motivation may arise from feedback given to students when using instructional software. The impact of feedback on students’ motivation during the use of software may vary from student to student. Feedback presented to students when using instructional software has the capacity to increase motivation for learning purposes. According to Vos, Van Der Meijden and Denessen (2011) instructional software and games have the potential to enhance student motivation for learning because it stimulates curiosity and interest by presenting learning activities within meaningful contexts in which students are in control. Motivation may be perceived as an individual’s ability to persist in a task. Moos and Marroquin (2010) define motivation as a set of physiological processes that may influence the direction, vigor and persistence of behaviors. Students that have motivation while engaging in online programs may demonstrate more persistent behaviors to persevere in the tasks that are presented to them depending on the feedback that they receive. Feedback or instructions provided to students may play a critical role in their level of motivation as they engage in online programs. Erhel and Jamet (2013) state that depending on their nature, instructions or feedback may play a key role during the cognitive processing of educational content. Specific, clear and concise feedback may increase a student’s level of motivation. According to a study conducted by Erhel and Jamet (2013), results indicated that if students are given clear regular feedback about their performance, it results in deeper learning and may increase their level of motivation. Furthermore, students might be more engaged in their learning experience if they receive prompts. Prompts may include praise, clues on how to proceed or specific motivational phrases, which may confirm to students that they are doing an adequate job. Prompts may serve as feedback to motivate learners to actively process the educational content that they are presented with, which in turn may create a deeper level of learning. Erhel and Jamet (2013) state that feedback and features that prompt students to process the educational content may promote learning and motivation. According to Kebritchi, Hirumi and Bai (2010) effective instructional software provides feedback for the purpose of creating personal motivation and sound decision making. The research stated above suggests that providing students with clear and consistent feedback may increase students’ level of motivation while engaging in instructional software, which in turn may increase their persistent in the tasks presented.
Theme 4: Motivation and Student Achievement
Tuzun, Yilaz-Solu, Karakus, Inal, and Kizilkaya (2009) conducted research in a geography classroom in Turkey where it was determined by the teacher that students lacked motivation and student achievement in the content. Tuzun et al. (2009) decided to use an instructional software game called Quest Atlantis (QA) to conduct research to investigate whether instructional software has an effect on motivation and student achievement. Quest Atlantis is a 3D virtual environment where students were given the task of figuring out what city the virtual character was from by taking a look at the clues given to them such as geographic location, facts, artifacts, and images (Tuzun et al., 2009, p. 70). Tuzun et al. (2009) used 24 students for his research, but due to attendance, only 13 attended consistently and were used for data collection. Students were given a pre-achievement test before playing the Quest Atlantis and then were given a post-achievement test after they finished the game. The data collected showed that students post-achievement score was higher than the pre-achievement test by 4.09 points (Tuzun et al., 2009, p. 73). Student achievement was evident in the study because motivation had a positive effect. Normally, the teacher used a lecture based approach to teach students Geography and it has not motivated students in the content area. By using an instructional software, it allowed students to see content through a different perspective which they found fun and motivated them to learn the content being studied. Overall, instructional software such as a virtual game can be used as a tool to motivate students to learn the content, which can positively impact student achievement.
Berns, Gonzalez-Pardo and Camacho (2013) also conducted research where an instructional software program such as 3D virtual environment was used to determine whether it had an impact on motivation and student achievement. For this research, 85 students who were enrolled in a college foreign language class were used. Berns et al. (2009) used an instructional software called VirtUAM, to create a 3D virtual environment where students practiced the German language in a supermarket store. The different scenarios taught students German through vocabulary words, listening, writing, and reading exercises. To collect data, Berns et al. (2009) used qualitative and quantitative research. Before the study was conducted, students were given a pre-achievement test that was paper and pencil based. After they finished playing in the virtual game, students were given a post-achievement test which was also paper and pencil based. The results from the pre-achievement test showed that 93% of the students passed, while 100% passed the post-achievement test (Berns et al., 2013, p. 217). Feedback from the students expressed that the material was enjoyable and easier to understand through this new instructional method, as well as, it motivated them to become active in their learning to win the game (Berns et al., 2013, p. 219). Overall, there is a correlation between student motivation and achievement when using instructional software as a support tool in the classroom.
Resources/Links
Classroom teachers are always looking for innovative ideas to motivate and keep their students engaged and focused. With the effects badging has on students there are now resources available online that allow teachers to create their own badging system in the classroom. We have also provided some sites with more information on instructional software resources for educators.
1) This site instructs teachers on how to create virtual badges.
Shakeuplearning.com
2) Chart Students’ Growth with Digital Badges https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=320
3) This is a free site that offers teachers a way to reward students with digital badges.
http://classbadges.com
4) This simple and short video provides an overview of the five different instructional software types: https://youtu.be/IQaHwJlGEZ4
5) This video provides various kinds of effective instructional software resources for educators (focus on STEM: Drill & Practice, Tutorials, Simulations, Instructional Games & Problem Solving): https://youtu.be/wmvwP0mP3sE
6) This is an article that gives educators 5 tips on how to provide students with effective and meaningful feedback:
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/tips-providing-students-meaningful-feedback-marianne-stenger
7)This is a website that provides parents and teachers with links to educational software: http://www.superkids.com/
8) This video is a speech given by Beth Hennessy on how to cultivate intrinsic motivation and creativity within a classroom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2eRnhBvI_I&disable_polymer=true
9) This website is a tutorial of how to create student avatars to be used in your class for tracking progress.
https://www.teachstarter.com/blog/avatars-in-the-classroom/
10)This website provides teachers with five websites that allow avatars to be made in different ways.
https://ict4kids.ca/2013/07/24/my-top-5-avatar-creation-sites-for-students/
11.) Website discusses the different instructional software and the advantages of using them in the classroom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWBGz0d_Tf4
12.) An article that discusses what you need to know about instructional software in the classroom.
https://elearningindustry.com/need-know-educational-software
13.) Search or create your own educational quiz games.
https://kahoot.com/explore-games/
14.) How to play Kahoot!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QsjJPENK78
15.) This is an article that provides information about gamification and how it impacts motivation.
https://elearningindustry.com/gamification-and-motivation-content-matters
References
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Introduction, Theme 2: Tricia P, Theme 1: Kevin C, Theme 3: Karla T.